NSF Help Hotline Sole Source Justification_Redacted.pdf

Justification and Approval For Other Than Full and Open Competition

1. Agency, Contracting Activity and Document

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is committed to ensuring a culture free from sexual assault and harassment. The agency has a need for 24/7 sexual assault and sexual harassment crisis intervention and emotional support services as a necessary enterprise-wide service. The NSF Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention and Response (SAHPR) program in the Office of the Director (OD) proposes a Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition for a 24/7/365 sexual assault victim services to be provided by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). The NSF Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support (NSF/DACS) will accomplish this acquisition.

2. Action Being Approved

The action to be approved is the solicitation and award of a contract to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) located in Washington, D.C. to provide the technology infrastructure to support a confidential hotline number, a dashboard for online chat, a Web page to provide information on services and available resources, and a texting referral number. This acquisition will support the agency’s development and management of support services for any individual affected by sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or stalking across the NSF enterprise. This will be a firm fixed price contract with a 12-month base period and one 12-month-option period.

3. Description of Services

The Contractor will provide confidential crisis intervention, resources, referrals, and information services via telephone, SMS text referral services, and online for users across the NSF enterprise, including contractors and grantees. This entails both the setup and management of the various hotline and contact services, as well as the provisioning of skilled labor in support of the stated performance.

The services involve the coordination of health and safety issues to include support services for victims of sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking —e.g., hotlines and other support services—to ensure the health and safety of all those supporting the work of the NSF enterprise-wide (e.g., those conducting research and also those in supportive roles, such as NSF federal employees, contractors and affiliates who work in support of NSF or whose work is funded by the agency to include the Arctic and Antarctic research stations, and other NSF managed facilities.)

The Contractor will also manage a Web page to provide information on sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or stalking services and available resources. The web page will provide contact information for hotline and mobile text services to provide crisis intervention and immediate emotional support services for anyone affected by sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or stalking across the NSF enterprise. The services will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The total estimated value is under $750,000 for a firm-fixed price contract.

4. Statutory Authority

The action being approved is this justification for other than full and open competition for a proposed contract awarded using the authority of 41 U.S.C. § 3304(a)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, supported by the written justifications and approvals described in 6.303 and 6.304.

5. Rationale or Contractor’s Unique Qualifications

To proactively fulfill our organizational commitments, we will systematically pursue and promote inclusive and safe environments free from sexual assault and sexual harassment. To that end, NSF seeks to procure support hotline services to advance efforts to prevent and effectively respond to sexual assault, sexual harassment and/or stalking. RAINN is uniquely qualified to provide these services. Based on known market intelligence and research, no other organizations or resources exist in the marketplace that provide, or can readily obtain, the combination of unique expertise and capabilities critical for the successful and timely performance of the health and safety services in support of NSF’s commitment to a culture free from sexual assault and harassment wherever NSF-funded activities are conducted.

Uniqueness:

RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and operates the U.S.

national hotline providing best-in-class services for victims and survivors of sexual harm. RAINN’s national expertise makes them uniquely equipped to inform, and educate across the NSF enterprise, (including extremely isolated geographic locations throughout Antarctica and the Arctic) about sexual violence and how to prevent it, improve response to sexual crimes, and help NSF improve support services the agency is providing with regard to sexual violence.

Services provided by RAINN are unique to include, acquisition of telephone number and hotline URL, building VoIP telephone hotline service, and an interactive voice response feedback mechanism. RAINN provides agency/organization branded hotlines and leverages decades of victim services experience and proprietary technology infrastructure, which will best serve the NSF enterprise-wide community.

RAINN provides its online hotline (OHL) software and infrastructure platform, and technology and technical support to ensure the platform functionality 24/7/365. The OHL Platform is a state-of-the-art, completely anonymous, hotline service that enables service providers to reach users safely and securely. This includes proprietary technology behind the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline (NSAOH), and unparalleled safety and security. Anonymity and confidentiality are key considerations for many survivors, and in recognition of those unique needs, RAINN hotlines do not keep any personally identifying information, such as PII, addresses, phone numbers, or other information that may be disclosed.

RAINN services also include vigorously trained support specialists with National Sexual Assault Hotline (NSAH) training as well as tailored instruction on NSF processes and resources. RAINN hotline staff complete intensive training and are required to complete supplemental training in addition to contract-specific training prior to launch, and as needed. RAINN’s service ensures access the moment victims and survivors need it. Each hotline visitor receives priority access via a separate queue that is answered by the first available support specialist.

RAINN provides victims and survivors with a tailored experience that would provide members of the NSF community with immediate emotional support, short term and long-term referrals, and an experience that incorporates NSF’s internal services and processes. RAINN is uniquely positioned to understand NSF’s unique needs and culture and develop and execute a tailored hotline solution that is based on experience and best practices, that will best serve the unique needs of NSF.

6. Best Value Determination

The contracting officer will use price analysis techniques established in FAR Subpart 15.4, Pricing, to determine the proposed prices are fair and reasonable. The contracting officer will use market information for similar services, information maintained by other Government activities, as well as request any/all necessary uncertified cost and pricing data from the offeror.

7. Market Research

As described in item 5 (above), sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking hotline services are a unique service as is the need to provide such services for NSF’s service population spanning across the enterprise-wide community (e.g., grantees, federal employees, contractors and affiliates) who work in support of NSF or whose work is funded by the agency. While there are other competitors, RAINN is unique in its national expertise, specialized training programs, proprietary technology and infrastructure, and in providing a tailored agency-branded experience for victims and survivors of sexual harm.

In accordance with FAR 10.002, the project team conducted market research to determine if alternative solution providers or providers fully capable of meeting the entire requirement existed in the marketplace. Market research was performed via the following methods: review of other federal agency hotlines and national hotlines;

federal databases; vendor websites; online research; consultation with industry experts; and review of historical data.

Market research concluded that no other source is capable of meeting the breadth and depth of the Government’s mission critical health and safety services as a necessary incident to NSF’s establishment and maintenance of essential capabilities.

RAINN’s hotline services would be invaluable to NSF in furthering the agency’s commitment to ensure a victim/survivor-centered approach and to always place the rights, confidentiality, wishes, needs, safety and well-being of victims and survivors at the center of all prevention and response efforts. RAINN is currently providing hotline services for other federal agencies including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and the Department of Defense.

8. Other Facts Supporting the Justification

None.

9. Removing Barriers to Competition

NSF will continue to survey the market and evaluate whether competing products become available. In the event additional avenues for acquiring similar products arise, NSF will evaluate conducting competitive acquisitions for this requirement.

10. Certifications/Coordinations/Approval

REQUESTING OFFICE CERTIFICATION

Program Officer: I hereby certify that the facts presented in this Justification are current, completed and accurate.

Name Date

PROCURING OFFICE CERTIFICATION

Contracting Officer: I assure that a detailed analysis will be performed on all proposed prices to assure that they are fair and reasonable. I also certify that this Justification is current, complete and accurate.

Name Date

10/30/24

10/30/24

JONATHAN P SCHMEELK Digitally signed by JONATHAN P SCHMEELK Date: 2024.10.30 15:46:43 -04'00'